the lost princess
by thingyoulovemost
Summary: in which Emma has a talk with her father and comes to the realization that she is, in fact, a princess.


**A/N: I was unexpectedly hit with a lot of Daddy Charming feels and Emma Swan, The Lost Princess feels so this happened I'm sorry! Set after 2x19, Lacey. Dedicated to Sydney, tumblr user saviorofstorybrooke!**

**Disclaimer: Not my characters, just my words. Credit to the brilliantly evil minds of Kitsis and Horowitz.**

Emma Swan sits at the island in the kitchen of the apartment she shares with her family, stirring the spoon of her cinnamon hot chocolate idly as she tries to figure out who August had been trying to warn her about. Someone dangerous, someone who needed to be stopped. Someone who could hurt the people she loved. So when she couldn't sleep, she came downstairs, hoping the hot chocolate would ease her mind.

The front door creaks open, and she spins in her chair to see her father sneaking through the door. Her eyes widen in surprise, as she'd assumed he was in his bedroom, sleeping next to her mother.

"Where were you?" she says, eyebrows raised in confusion. He sighs and shakes his head as he comes to take a seat next to her.

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you," he says.

"Try me," she says as she eats a spoonful of whipped cream.

"I was… helping Gold try to win back Belle, who now has false memories and thinks she's someone named Lacey. She did agree to go on a date with him, though."

Emma eyes him doubtfully, then shakes her head.

"Honestly, things like that shouldn't even surprise me anymore," she says, sighing. After a moment, she starts to laugh, almost choking on her hot chocolate as she says, "So what are you now, like his wingman?"

Her laughter is infectious and Charming finds himself joining in as he says, "I guess so."

"Prince Charming, wingman to Rumplestiltskin," she laughs, then sighs as she says, "Stranger things have happened."

"You make a very good point," he says with a smile.

She returns it, then her eyes narrow when she spots something sparkling in a white box on the counter. She leans closer and gasps when she sees that it's a tiara, and lifts it gingerly out of the box to inspect it in her hands. It's beautiful, and definitely real, glittering in the fluorescent light as she stares at it, transfixed.

Charming is struck by the sight of his daughter holding the tiara that she likely would've inherited from Snow when she came of age had they been able to raise her like they planned. His eyes prick with tears, and he tries to reign in his emotions before Emma notices.

"That was your mother's when she was a girl," he says. "It was given to her by your grandmother just before she died."

Emma looks up at him, her trance broken by his words. "I…" she starts, unable to speak. "I guess I sometimes forget that you guys are, you know…"

"Royalty?" He finishes for her with a smile. "I may not have been born a prince, but your mother was a princess by blood."

Emma shakes her head in disbelief.

"That's so weird to think about," she says.

Charming smiles warmly at her.

"That makes you royalty too, you know," he says.

Her eyes widen comically, and he has to hold back a laugh at the shocked expression on her face.

"I'm a…" she stutters, eyebrows raised.

"A princess?"

She swallows and looks down at the tiara in her hands. Her? A princess? She's suddenly taken back to when she was a little girl living in a foster home, sitting underneath the covers with a flashlight looking at books about princes and princesses and far off lands and happy ever after, wishing that it all was real. She supposes every lonely little girl wishes she was secretly a princess, but she forgot those dreams a long, long time ago.

"Emma?"

Her father's voice breaks through her reverie, and her head snaps up to meet his concerned gaze.

"I'm fine, sorry, I just…" she trails off.

"I know, it's a lot to take in. Your mother and I were wondering when it was going to hit you."

She shakes her head and says with a smile, "This doesn't mean I have to wear fancy dresses and act all proper now, does it?"

Charming laughs and then says, "No, I don't think so."

"Good," she says with a smile. "That's not my thing, anyway."

Charming smiles because he's come to know that very well, and he gets up to take her mug to the sink. She gives him a grateful smile, and gently places the tiara back into its box.

"Our princess fights dragons, breaks curses and has magic," Charming breaks the silence, smirking as he says, "I say that's much cooler than your average proper princess, don't you think?"

She smiles at him as she gets up as well, joining him to walk over to the stairs together.

"Yeah, I guess so," she says shyly, sheepish under his praise.

She turns to go upstairs before looking back at him, giving him a small smile as she says, "Goodnight."

He smiles warmly at her before he says, "Goodnight, Emma."

He turns to go before he stops and turns around, "Or should I call you Princess Emma now?" he says, giving her a wink.

Her eyes narrow, "Don't you dare."

"Alright, Your Highness," he says, eyes crinkling as he smiles at her.

She scoffs and turns to continue up the stairs, and he watches her go until she disappears from sight.

Yes, she is a princess. His breathtakingly beautiful, fiercely strong, brave and independent fiery headstrong princess. And he wouldn't have her any other way.


End file.
